


Daylily (Levi x Reader)

by ezdub



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Levi Ackerman, Detective Erwin Smith, Dreams, Dreams vs. Reality, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Gangs, Growth, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Levi is Bad At Feelings (Shingeki no Kyojin), Levi is a Little Shit (Shingeki no Kyojin), Levi is an artist, Light Dom/sub, Major Character Injury, Marijuana, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, POV Third Person, People Problems, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychic Abilities, Recreational Drug Use, Romance, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Smut, So is the reader, Substance Abuse, Tattoos, but like in a good way, furlan and isabel r dead, levi is traumatized, past life themes, reader has ADHD, reader is traumatuzed, reader lives in a van, soft dom Levi, trauma party
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:48:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ezdub/pseuds/ezdub
Summary: After being forced to leave his gang in Japan, Levi Ackerman moves to Portland to work with his cousin at her tattoo shop and begins to frequent a bar that Y/N is employed at. After a careless incident involving a knife and a lost wallet, Levi can't seem to shake away Y/N's presence, and she can't seem to shake away his.Maybe that's the Universe's way of telling them their meeting was no careless incident.- Used to be titled "A Mixed Bag", but I found a more fitting name to it. Inspired by "Daylily" by Movements.
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 34





	1. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fan fiction I've written since....... 2015?16? Wow. Crazy. I wonder how much my writing has changed since then.
> 
> Anyways, I'm so excited to write this thing! I have so much planned out for both the plot and the characters, and I'm itching to execute it all. I apologize for any typos/repetition, as I have a terrible habit of not rereading/editing after I finish writing (perks of being a stoner with ADHD, am I right?). 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

Nothing in the world is more appealing to you than staring at the sunrise over the ocean. Hues of yellow, pink and orange cascade over the deep water of the pacific; the sun's light creeping up the water like ivy on a fence. You look over to the waves crashing on the rocks below, the spray hitting your nose despite the water being fifty feet beneath you. Though it's summer, it's chilly in Newport, especially since it's six am on the top of an incredibly windy cliff. Your breath fogs up a bit as you sigh into your coffee, raising it up to your lips in contentment. Your gaze continues to rest on the sky.

A playful bark sounds from behind you, signaling that your dog, Quinn, has woken up and is ready for the day as well. You smile and fluff the top of his head, making sure to scratch behind his floppy ears. He loves a good ear scratch, and the rapid thump of his foot makes sure to convey his gratitude towards it. You continue to absentmindedly pet him as you watch the sun crawl up the sky. The birds and the waves dance on the horizon in unison, completely unaware of your awestruck appreciation of their beauty. It took you a lot to be able to wake up to scenes like this every day, and with all of the work, sweat and tears you put into this life; there's no way in hell you would take a setting like this for granted. 

It took you three and a half years to accumulate everything you needed to move into an RV, and six months ago, you were finally able to move into your new home comfortably. It took about $12k in total to move into the aluminum giant, and you worked hard for nearly every penny of the cost. Your dad helped out as much as he could with it financially, and your mom was able to supply a lot of its interior little by little. With her help, you'd get some pots and pans in your Christmas presents, or on one occasion, a pricey generator as your big birthday present. There was a lot of team effort put into the move, but it was ultimately your bartending savings that got you your home. Her name was Bessie 2.0- a homage to your first car, whom your friends originally named Bessie. She stood behind you, attached to the large blue truck you also had to buy to tow her. It was easier to get a towable mobile home, as you knew you'd want to have a separate car you could drive into towns with. 

In the six months since you'd moved out of the house you'd been living in with your dad, you'd been able to travel all over Southwest America, as well as the West Coast. You'd been living off of your savings for quite a while until you were able to land another bartending job in Portland, which is where you're planning to stay at for the next six to eight months. Though you have to stay in one area now, it'll be nice to get a break from being on the road all the time. Plus, you'll still get off days like this, where you can drive your camper out to the coast and spend a day or two in Newport (or any other adjacent city of your choosing, of course). 

You get up and turn back to your trailer, your nostalgic train of thought breaking as you remember the two hour drive ahead of you. It would be better to leave early, so you can get situated at the campsite you're currently calling home in Portland before you go to work. Thankfully, you aren't scheduled till eight pm, so you'll have a while after your drive to shower, take Quinn for a walk, and cook yourself some lunch. 

Taking one final look at the almost-completed sunrise, you bid the sea a farewell and got into your truck. You always make sure to have everything ready to go for the morning before you go to bed every night, always allowing yourself to leave any area you're in with ease.

-

The drive back to Portland felt much less than two hours, and you're grateful for the perceptual time-jump. Time goes by when you're having fun, and your very definition of fun is being able to drive with music, Quinn, and nothing but beautiful scenery lining to the road ahead of you. 

You get back to the campsite, shower off all the grime of yesterday, and go for a small hike with Quinn. There's lots of different trails surrounding your campsite, and though you've been here for a month, there's still hidden spots you're finding all the time. Instead of exploring, though, you take Quinn on one of the more uphill trails in the area. Hiking on an incline is more challenging, but you know that towards the middle of it lies a waterfall that you wouldn't have discovered if you hadn't decided to explore a little off-trail on your hike last week. After about twenty minutes of walking, you finally get to the tree that you marked in order to remember the spot of the waterfall. You had carved a mini eye into the bark of the tree with your pocket knife, as you do with all the trees you use as markers. Finding hidden spots has turned into one of your favorite games.

Touching the tree gently, as if telling it 'thank you'; you step off the trail and walk for about five more minutes- the sound of the falls getting louder and louder with each step you take. Once you reach the waterfall, Quinn runs up to the stream, lapping up its water in exasperation. You chug some of your own water as well, thankful that you decided to put ice in your canister. Nothing beats cold water after a hike. 

You sit by the water with Quinn for a while, throwing sticks across the stream for him to catch, and observing the trees. It was clear out today, which was a nice touch. Looking up, you note the contrast of the forests deep green against the baby blue sky. The tops of the trees sway gently against the breeze, dancing to the song of the wind and the birds flying about it. You're grateful to be able to get some peace and quiet in before going to work, as the sound of a bar is quite different to the thick of Oregon's wilderness. 

After about an hour, you decide to get ready for work, and walk back down to the RV. Upon entering, you're greeted by the colorful interior of the "living room", which takes up most of the RV. A yellow table with two red booths sits at the front, with a tie-dye rug placed between the table and the fully functional kitchen area stationed across from it. It hosts a stove, oven, microwave, fridge and sink- though with no dishwasher, you have to wash all of your dishes by hand. Towards the back stands a small door that leads to the bathroom, and behind that is a closed pink curtain that leads to your small bedroom. The walls of the trailer are covered with stickers and drawings, with several colorful tapestries lining the ceiling. 

You open the fridge and pop open some greek yogurt before showering again, feeding Quinn, and getting dressed for the day. You put on one of your favorite 'space outfits': a red cropped tank with a cartoon Saturn on it, spaceman earrings, cargo pants and a black biker jacket. To add a little more flare, you looped a chain with metal stars hanging from it on the front and back loops of the pants. One of your favorite parts about bartending is the ability to dress as cool as you want to- especially since the bar you work at promotes that sort of thing. 

When 7:30 hits, you lock up the RV after making sure that Quinn was fed and given a chance to go to the bathroom. The drive to work is quick, and once you make sure to get your coffee, you park in the lot across the street from your destination. The neon sign across from you reads 'The Library'- the title of the bar.

The building is located on a strip of restaurants in the middle of downtown, sandwiched between a taco joint and an upscale sushi restaurant. The windows are covered by thick red curtains, creating an almost vampiric atmosphere around the place. Walking in, you're greeted with dim lights and ambient jazz music. There aren't too many customers around at the moment, just a few sitting at the counter. You walk across the parlor area and go straight to the back room to clock in, and are greeted by the bar current bar manager: Hanje. 

"Hey y/n, welcome in!" they exclaimed, patting you on your back as you punched your clock-in code onto an ipad that had been mounted to the wall. They look cute as hell today with a black tank, ripped jeans matching in color, and a cute set of silver hoop earrings. A few additional piercings line their cartilage, and to top it off, they have both an eyebrow stud and a nose ring

"Hey, Hanje! How're you doing today?" you ask, looking at them behind your shoulder.

"Same old same old. I slept pretty much all day, which was nice", they say, waltzing across the room and grabbing their coffee off of a table; "What about you? How was your day off yesterday?" they ask in return.

"I took Quinn and the RV out to Newport, toured the town a bit, and got to watch the sunset on the ocean this morning". Hanje smile and sips their coffee.

"Damn, y/n, it's a wonder that you have the willpower to make the drive back here and go to work in the same day. Maybe I could go with you sometime- I've actually never been out to Newport". 

You shrug, taking off your jacket and hanging it on the communal coat rack.

"It's honestly not too bad! Trust me, I didn't have that kind of willpower up until recently, but living on the road for six months really made me realize just how much I could get done in a day. and yes, you can definitely tag along sometime! It would be fun". You turn around and give them a warm smile. It was nice being able to make a friend so early on here. You've been in Portland for almost a month, and you and Hanje have been getting closer with every shift you work together. 

"I'll have to take you up on that offer. Anyways, I'm gonna be doing paperwork for most of the night, but just holler at me is you need anything! It might get a little hectic tonight since it's Friday, so you'll probably have to come get me once or twice". 

You nod and head with them to the door.

"Thanks for the heads up! Busy nights are always good. Exhausting, but good when it comes to tips". 

The two of you bid your adieus and parted ways. Hanje went down the hall and into their office, while you headed out to the bar. Thankfully, there still weren't many people in yet, so you're able to set everything up for the night. 

About half an hour goes by before customers start coming in. You pour beers, open tabs, and observe everyone start to relax after the work week. Though it's starting to get busier, you're thankful that no one's getting rambunctious tonight. Everyone seems to be exhausted, which is typical for Fridays. It's the Saturdays you gotta watch out for, where everyone is well rested and ready to blackout- especially the college kids. 

At the corner of your vision, you notice a man walk up to the edge of the bar and quietly take a seat. You recognize him by the jet black hair and sleeve tattoo as one of your regulars, though you've only been working here long enough to meet him a few times. He doesn't look over to you for assistance, but you break the conversation you were having with another customer to go see if he would like a drink.

"Hey, Levi! What can I getcha?" You ask, already knowing his answer.

"The usual", he replies in a dry tone. You walk over and grab him a rocks glass, pour in some ice, measure out a shot of Jack, top it with coke, and mix it all together with a small black straw.

"Here you go, dude! Did you want to start a tab on that, or should I just ring you up for two again?" 

Again, you already know the answer.

"Just two is fine, thanks", he says, sliding his card over to you. 

You grab the card and head over to the register, smiling to yourself on the way. It's nice to have customers that know what they want and don't change it up. He isn't a man of many words, but that's part of what makes Levi the ideal customer. He comes in, has two Jack and Cokes, tips well, and leaves without forcing you to have a conversation with him. One of the only downsides of bartending to you is the endless social battery you're forced to have, and you don't really get a say in who you get to socialize with. Sometimes it's nice to get a customer that doesn't chat you up a storm. 

After ringing him up, you head back over to his seat with a pen and receipt in hand.

"Just sign at the bottom there and you're good to go!" You say with a smile, setting them down in front of him. For a second, you eye his sleeve tattoo- it's a black and white oriental piece with beautiful detail work. A band of ocean waves circle his forearm, and by the elbow, the dragon that twists around his bicep emerges out of the inky sea. Behind it sits storm clouds and rain. Every time he comes in, you fight the urge to compliment it. Normally you have no problem with commenting on a customer's tattoo, but you feel like if you say any sort of conversation starter to him, the dragon on his arm might jump off and bite your hand. His lack of sociability, though nice to have in a customer, is intimidating nonetheless- especially when it's accompanied by that steely blue gaze of his. 

He nods in response and you head back to check on the other customers, knowing your conversation with him probably wouldn't be getting much further than that. After chatting to a few tourists visiting Portland from Atlanta, pouring a few beers, and taking a bathroom break, it's now ten o' clock. The bar is getting busier, and before you know it, you have to get Hanje to come out and breakup a skirmish between a pair of suit clad coworkers. You think they're fighting about stealing clients from one another, as when you were serving them earlier in the night, they were being very passive aggressive to each other when the two explained their sales work to you.

"HEY! YOU TWO. YOU USELESS DEGENERATES ARE FUCKING UP MY SALES. GET ONE MORE PUNCH IN AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY BAR!" Hange roared at the men, though somehow did so with a smile on their face. They looked scared and irritated as hell, but obeyed Hanje's command and left the bar anyways (without getting in that final punch, sadly). The two of you high fived as they followed you behind the back of the bar to help pick up after the rush. A lot of customers left with the fight, and though it may be bad for business, you're grateful for the peace and quiet. As you head over to the end of the bar to grab Levi's leftover glasses, you notice a sleek black rectangle sitting in his spot.

"Oh, shoot, one of our regulars left his wallet here", you exclaim, picking up the object.

"Was it Levi? He was the only regular I saw out here tonight- he actually just left. He told me when I was serving him a few weeks ago that he takes the Light Rail home from here, so if you wanna chase him, I'll hold the bar down for you!" 

"I'm surprised you've been able to get more than a grunt out of him! I've always been too scared to try and crack more out of the guy", you say, yelling out to Hanje as you run to grab your jacket off the coat rack. 

"I don't know, man! The most interesting people are always the ones that seem impossible to crack-" they say as you walk to the door, the gleam on their glasses now looking rather mischievous- "But the trick, y/n, is to understand that it only seems impossible. Everyone, at some level, wants to talk about themselves. Everyone cracks. Always remember that!" They say, bidding you a salute as you playfully roll your eyes and head out the door. Hanje sure is an eccentric one, but so are you, which is probably why you've been getting along with them swimmingly. Plus, they're not wrong. You know all too well that everyone, in time, cracks eventually. 

The station to the Light rail is about a seven minute walk, which you wouldn't mind on any other day. However, it's windy and it's starting to rain, so you decide to run your way there. The streets are a little populated at first, but as you get closer to the station, it gets less and less crowded. It's a little creepy, you cant lie, but you feel a little relief when you see the back of Levi's head turning the next corner of the sidewalk. You pick up the pace, wanting to get the wallet to him asap before it starts to rain; but instead of being met with a man grateful for the return of that wallet, you're met with the white hot sensation of your head being slammed onto a brick wall, and you open your eyes to see that same man holding up a knife to your throat.


	2. The Dragon

"Who the fuck sent you, huh? Is Kenny in on this? How did you find me?" Levi spits, his eyes widening as he quickly realizes that you are just the bartender, no one sent you, and you've never met a Kenny in your life. Your reflexes work faster than he could process this, though, and before he knew it, your knee was slamming into his chest. You kicked so hard that he fell flat on his ass, landing with a thud on the cracked sidewalk.

You freeze in place for a second, swiping at the tears of shock forming around your eyes- you're not sure if you should stay or run. He clearly didn't know it was you chasing after him, and you didn't get the vibe that he would hurt someone innocent (which, thankfully, you were). For some reason, your body makes the decision for you, as it's too scared to let you move an inch.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you. I thought you were someone else", he says, getting up to his feet; "And I'm not gonna hold that kick against you, either, but I am surprised that you know how to do that".

He looks at you expectantly, and you remember that he probably should know why you're here. You take a second to gather your thoughts as you recover from the previous moment and hold your hand up to feel a bump growing on the back of your head, wincing at the touch.

"You uhh... you forgot your wallet at the bar", you say, pulling the leather rectangle out of your pocket and handing it over to him, "and I learned the kick in a self defense class, though I never thought I'd have to use it". He nods, puts his wallet away, and pinches the bridge of his nose in thought.

"Thank you, I would've gotten all the way home before realizing I didn't have it. I'm sorry you had to see that- I promise, I'm not usually the kind of person who holds random people up at knifepoint. Well- not random bartenders, at least", he says with genuine sincerity.

"So you're saying you've held other people up at knifepoint?" You counter, holding your hand back up to the bump. It hurts like hell, though your grateful that it's just a bruise. Levi notices the grimace on your face, and his eyes flicker with concern.

"Are you hurt?" he evades the last question and steps closer to you, holding up a hand in an offer to take a look at the wound.

"I think it's just a bad bruise- I haven't felt any blood come out, so I'm not gonna worry about it too much", you reply, still turning the back of your head towards him. It takes you all you can to get more than a sentence out to him. Oddly enough, you have no issue with trusting him- you're just downright intimidated by his presence, and you're still having to get over the shock of having a blade held up to your throat. He gently observes the damage, delicately brushing aside the hair blocking over the bump to get a clear view of it. Once he's concluded to himself that it's only a minor injury, he takes a step back.

"Again. I shouldn't have been careless enough to allow this to happen- I apologize. I'm in a weird spot right now, and I can't ignore my gut when I feel like someone's following me. That being said, however, please let me know if there's anything I can do to make it up to you-" he pauses- "or to persuade you not go to the cops. That would be the last thing I need in my life at the moment". He puts his hands on his hips and gives you another expectant look.

_Why do I keep forgetting to talk? Focus, y/n. You're not in danger, and he's just a dude. A short dude. If he wanted to hurt you, he would've done it by now._

You snap out of your anxious feedback and put a hand to your chin in thought, wondering if there's anything you really even needed from Levi for him to make it up to you. His apology seemed sufficient enough, and there's no way you'd snitch on him, but something stops you from telling him to go on his merry way. You gotta get something out of him.

"Oh! I know", you exclaim, drawing out a little baggy from your jacket pocket. It contains three joints you had rolled earlier today: one to smoke with Hanje, one to take home, and a spare one you had rolled with your extra weed.

"Have a smoke with me, and tell me about your tattoo. The big dragon sleeve".

His eyebrow quirks up in surprise.

"Seriously? I offer to pay you back for technically assaulting you, and you tell me to do that by smoking _your_ weed?"

You nod and hold the joint to your lips, sparking it up and taking a puff. You blow the smoke out into the street, now covered in light rain. Luckily, you're both standing under the cover of what looks to be someone's balcony. You know Hange won't mind if you take a second to chat with him- in fact, they'd probably encourage you to do it. They seemed quite curious about this Levi character, too, and you know they would love to hear about this conversation.

You gesture it towards him and, thankfully, he takes it. He puffs the end and begins to talk as he exhales the smoke.

"The tattoo itself wasn't my idea, but I did design it. A friend of mine, Furlan, came up with it. The ocean water represents him, I represent the clouds, and our other friend Isabella is represented by the birds flying among them. The dragon is supposed to be the culmination of our strengths in one unit, and the both of them had it on their left arms as well", he says. The smoke dances around his mouth as he passes the joint back to you. You note his use of the word _had_ , but don't dare to pry any further.

"You design tattoos?" You ask, looking at him from the corner of your eye. The two of you lean side by side on the wall, facing the dark lit street.

"Yeah, I design and tattoo them myself", he says without any elaboration.

"So I'm guessing you do them for a living?"

"I guess I do now", he replies, taking another hit. You're confused by the reply, but continue to puff with him in silence for a while until the paper is down to the cone. Some people are quiet when they smoke, and some are unbelievably loud. You've grown to prefer the quiet ones.

"Well, I can tell you're not much of a talker, but I'll take what I can get, so thanks for that", you say, stomping out what's left of the joint with your boot.

"I can't imagine why you're so interested, but yeah, thanks again for the wallet. And for letting me off the hook so easy".

The two of you lock eyes for a second as you reach out to shake his hand.

"It was a pleasure talking with you, Levi. See you next time?"

He quirks his eyebrow up again and returns the gesture, gripping his hand in yours lightly. With one shake, he puts the hand in his pocket and turns around.

"Sure", he says, walking away with no further words.

Well, that was an unenthusiastic response.

The walk back to work is cold but brief; the high of the joint keeps you warm until you're back at the dark door to the Library. Hange practically lunges at you when you open it.

"So did you get the wallet back to him?? You've been gone for half an hour! I was starting to worry", they start, following you back to the counter. It's about ten forty five now, though it's unusually empty for a Friday. Both you and Hange anticipated a much larger crowd, but you aren't really complaining.

"Yeah, I did, but it was the strangest thing-" you say, leaning your elbows on the back of the marble- "The dude held a knife up to my throat because he thought I was following him. I mean, I _was_ following him, but he thought I would be someone else when I turned the corner". Hange's eyes widen at the news- their brows furrow as they think about this information.

"He didn't hurt you, right? Because if he did, I can kick that pipsqueak's ass all the way to the east coast the second he steps ba-"

"No, no, I promise you Hange, I'm fine. He was clearly only doing it for self defense, and I don't want to make any assumptions about it. He wanted to make it up to me so I wouldn't go to the police, so I told him to smoke a joint with me and tell me about his sleeve tattoo. He obliged, we smoked the joint, and now I'm here", you cut them off gently, not wanting them to get too pissed off at the poor 'pipsqueak'.

"We actually had a pretty cool conversation- I thought you might be interested in hearing what I got out of him", you add, knowing they've been trying to gauge Levi for weeks. Their ears perk up and the curious glimmer in their eye returns from earlier.

"Well, this night sure got interesting quick. Did you find out why he's walking around ready to hold someone up at knifepoint? Or did you not get that far yet".

You shake your head.

"Sadly, no, I wasn't able to get that far, but he _did_ ask if a dude named Kenny sent me before he realized I was just the bartender. Aside from that, I learned that he's a tattoo artist, and that the tattoo on his bicep has a pretty cool backstory".

Hange nods again, leaning on the bar and pressing their hand to their chin pensively.

"Interesting. I wonder if his paranoia was gang related. I don't think we really have a gang issue in Portland, but that's what it sounds like to me- ooh! Maybe he's running from one. That would explain the whole knife incident, too", they exclaim, jumping back up with a finger in the air. You giggle at their stance, mentally comparing them to a wiggy scientist who just solved an impossible equation. The comparison isn't that far from reality, though. Hange was only bartending to pay for their Masters degree in Chemistry, and somehow made their way up to bar management after a few years of it.

"There's something about his aura that tells me you're right-", you say, tilting your head up at the ceiling- "Not that I want you to be, because I don't want to worry about anyone bringing gang issues to the bar". You look over to Hange to see if they had come up with the same thought, and they nod.

"True, but I can't just kick a customer out because I _assume_ they have trouble with a gang. If he only started coming here a few months ago, there's no doubt in my mind that he relocated from somewhere, too. There's probably no perpetrators around him at the moment", they reply.

"True, true. Do you really think it could be a gang thing, though? You don't think it sounds far fetched?" You ask with a side eye. It seems like they may have thought about this before, as their speculation is pretty well developed.

They shrug.

"Well, I had an uncle who was pretty involved in a gang for a while, and the logo tattooed on his wrist is the same one Levi has on the back of his neck. It's what made me think of possible gang affiliation in the first place. It's also what's been making me so intent on him in general. He's not a normal regular, sure, but there's just something about that tattoo that made me wonder if he knows my uncle".

Your eyes widen as you think about the man you just casually smoked a joint with. You've had friends involved in bad news before, sure, but that's it. You're surprised about the tattoo, as you yourself have noted the symbol on his neck before: two wings overlapping each other. One filled in with black, the a white one overlapping it.

"Really? Why haven't you said anything about it?" you ask- you're also surprised that Hange hadn't mentioned any of this to you before.

"My uncle doesn't really appreciate people out of the family knowing about his past- even people who clearly wouldn't do anything with the information. I also didn't wanna raise any alarms, as all of this is only speculation", they reply. You nod in understanding, as you know that the two of you, though getting closer, have only known each other for a month. It's not like you're entitled to know everything about another person when you're in the beginning stages of a friendship.

After chatting a little more, Hange goes back to their office as customers pour into the bar again for the typical late night rush. You're thankful for the business, as you know it won't die down till close, so you can be properly occupied for the night. Time goes by so much faster when your hands are full, though the thought of your conversations with Levi and Hange refuse to leave the back of your mind.

This night has made you nothing but intrigued, and you can't seem to kick the urge of wanting to know more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be from Levi's point of view! I'm so excited to reveal more about him lol. It's so fun trying to figure out how to write his character in this kind of modern-non-titan-influenced setting


	3. Wings of Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I made it to a third chapter, yay!
> 
> Just warning ya, this fic is gonna reeeeally be a slow burn bc I feel like it's better that way, yknow? Not only for the story........ but for the smut. lol.

_**Levi's POV** _

\---------------------------------

"You're home late", a voice sounds from behind Levi as he locks the door to the shared apartment. He turns around to see his cousin, Mikasa, and her boyfriend, Eren, munching on some cheese and crackers at the marble island in the kitchen.

"Yeah. I left my wallet at the bar and had to get it back", he replies, taking off his coat and grabbing a pot from the cabinet. He fills it up with water and turns on the stove, eyes flickering in mild excitement as he prepares his tea for the night. 

"So, Levi, how are you liking Portland? It must be a really big jump from Japan, huh?" Eren asks. Though it was an innocent question, Levi tenses up in annoyance. 

"It's been fine", he replies, hoping that Eren will take the hint that he's really not in a talking mood right now. Eren, however, is pretty dense when it comes to reading people.

"Really? I know that if I moved to another country out of the blue, I'd have a lot more to say about it than that", he prods, resting his hand on his chin. Mikasa looks back and forth between her boyfriend and her cousin, sensing Levi's irritation beginning to build. She understands that Levi doesn't want anyone outside herself or Erwin to know the details about his move to the U.S., but she's gonna have to tell Eren sooner or later if Levi ever wants him to stop prying about it. 

"Tch. Brat. Didn't your parents ever tell you not to stick your nose in other people's business?" he snaps his head back at the boy with a weight to his tone that makes Eren bow his head sheepishly. The joint he smoked with you earlier lingers in his brain, but instead of the typical calm that comes with a high, Eren's presence has replaced it with an annoying bout of paranoia.

"Sorry, Levi. I was just trying to make conversation", he says, focusing on cutting himself some cheese to avoid looking the man across him in the eyes. Mikasa holds the gaze instead, her eyes delivering a message telling Levi not to be so hard on the ignorant. Once they deem Eren trustworthy enough to know the truth about her cousin, she's sure he won't be so curious about the topic. 

"He'll come around, Eren. He's not really a dick- he's just an Ackerman", she chimes, still looking at Levi. He breaks her stare to pour the tea into a cup, but doesn't disagree with her. The Ackermans do have a certain edge to them. 

"Sorry about that, Eren. Goodnight", he says insincerely, grabbing his teacup and nodding them a goodbye as he walks to his room. The place is set up like a standard apartment: The main door opens to a kitchen; just past it lies the living room, and between the two areas sits a hallway that leads to a bathroom, Levi's guest bedroom, and Mikasa's master room at the end. 

Eren, confused by Levi's half assed apology, simply shrugs, but Mikasa gets up follows behind. Levi raises an eyebrow, but figures he knows what she wants to talk to him about. He opens the door to his room, lets her in first, and closes it behind himself. She turns around to face him, but continues to look down until she's able to gather her words.

"I think we- or I, if you prefer- should tell Eren the truth about the Sukautos. He's already been suspicious, and thankfully he hasn't been impatient about it, but I can tell he knows that I'm lying to him about why you're here", she finally says with a firm, but respectful tone. Levi sighs and walks over to his futon, sitting on the edge of the low frame. Mikasa leans on the desk opposite to him and crosses her arms as she awaits his reply. 

"I can't argue against it. I thought it would be easier to lie about, but I overestimated my acting skills, and the two of you have been conjoined at the hip since you were young", he replies as he starts to untie his boots, "so it's only fair for you to tell him. This is your apartment, after all, and I still want to do everything I can to repay you for letting me stay here". 

Mikasa nods.

"Thank you, Levi. I appreciate that. If its any consolation to you, I have no regrets in letting you move in. There's not a lot of us Ackermans out there, so we gotta stick together when we can", she says as she walks to the door, "and yeah. You couldn't act like an exchange student for the life of you- did you come up with that idea, or did Erwin?"

Levi scoffs at the question as he kicks off his last boot.

"Erwin, obviously, but I was the one naive enough to think I could play it off. I practically wanted to kick myself when Eren asked what my major was, like I would ever think far enough to come up with that shit. I'm not a bad liar necessarily, but I couldn't care less about selling _this_ lie as elaborately as I should be", he says, to which Mikasa lightly smiles in return.

"You probably don't have to worry about selling it too hard. Most people don't really care about the _details_ about your backstory- they just want a chance to talk about their own stories without seeming rude", she says, opening the door to the room, "but anyways, just holler at us if you need anything".

"Will do. Night, Mikasa".

"Night", she replies quietly before shutting the door, leaving Levi alone for the first time since he woke up this morning. 

He hasn't gotten much time to think about the events of the day, but they finally begin to occupy his mind as he showers, brushes his teeth and gets ready for the night. His thoughts _really_ start to slow while he lays in bed, and his brain begins to wander to the girl he probably traumatized just a few hours before now. Though he's mortally embarrassed by the careless mistake, he can only imagine how _you_ feel right now. You, the innocent bartender, who wanted nothing more than to return a customer's lost wallet. 

He cringes at the thought of the look on your face when you realized there was a knife against your throat, and even more so when he thinks about all of the new questions you'll definitely want him to answer if he continues to frequent your bar. The simple solution would be to find a new one, but unfortunately, Levi _has_ to go to The Library- he is bound to the building for as long as Hange works there. 

Before Levi left Japan, he made a promise to an older member of the _Sukauto_ gang- Benjamin Zoe- that he would look after the man's biological niece once he was up in Portland. In fact, a section of both the Zoe and the Ackerman families had moved to Portland to escape theSukauto gang about 25 years ago. Mikasa and Hange are the only remaining descendants of their families outside of Japan, with the new addition of Levi. He's wondered if the two of them know each other, but doubts it, as he knows how protective Mikasa's parents were to her about their origins before they died. When Levi asks, she barely knows anything about their history prior to her birth, and he assumes that Hange was raised similarly. Benjamin mentioned that none of his family even knew he was still in the gang, so he specifically asked Levi to keep Hange out of the loop, and only to watch them at a comfortable distance. Levi accepted the the man's request with no hesitance- Benjamin was like a father figure to him, Furlan and Isabella growing up.

Now, because of that request, the raven haired stoic is going to have to deal with the annoying bartender whom he held up at knifepoint, and there isn't really much he can do about it. If he had just snatched the wallet without a word and left, perhaps you'd still be too afraid to talk to him- but instead, he decided to have a friendly smoke with you. Now, because of his choices, he's getting a feeling that you're gonna be a pain in his ass until you find out why he was so prepared to slit your throat. You seem like the persistent type, and he can't shake the feeling that he'll be dealing with more of you soon. 

With another long sigh, the grumpy, tattoo covered man gives up the thought of you and everyone else on his mind in favor of sleep. He plugs his phone in, turns off the night light, and fades off to the muffled sound of Eren and Mikasa's chatter just outside the door. His dreams, however, refuse to give him the peace that sleep prays for.

_The trees stand taller than even the ferns of Oregon, but Levi doesn't seem to mind as he breezes through the trunks. It's as if he's flying, but upon looking down, he notes that he's being supported by nothing but two wires powered by small gas tanks attached to both hips. The device controlling the wires is strapped to his body, and he notes that he's able to use his weight to shift their direction. The movement comes naturally to him, though in his waking life, he wouldn't have a chance at being able to control one of these things._

_Furlan_ _whizzes_ _past Levi on the left, with Isabel following on the right. The three of them smirk at each other and continue forth, headed to a destination that Levi can't pinpoint, but seems to know the direction to. Eventually, a 10 meter Titan comes into sight, and the trio knows instinctively that this was where they were flying to. Though its grin looks menacing, its (e/c) eyes look almost sad as they bore straight into Levi with an emotion that makes him grimace._

 _Isabel takes the first hit, slicing off the back of one ankle, and Furlan follows suit with the other. Levi gets in position to strike down its nape, but as his blades make the cut, the titan's body sounds off a large '_ pop'. 

_A young girl with (h/c) hair, (s/c) skin and closed eyes is ejected out of its neck as the rest of the body quickly turns to smoke. Despite his previous intent to kill her, Levi's first instinct is to swing down and grab her before she can hit the ground. By the time he gets her to the forest floor safely, the titan body has completely vanished, though its steam lingers all over the line of vision_ _. He sets you down on the ground and checks your pulse before calling out to his comrades._

_"Furlan? Isabel?" he yells, looking around the forest in a circle. His vision quickly pans to a spherical shadow laying down in the fog. As he walks over to investigate, his intrigue quickly turns into dread as he realizes that the shadow belongs to nothing but a pigtailed head._

_A few feet away lies her body, and right next to it sits the corpse of her other male comrade._

_Levi stares at the scene, his eyes glued to their red and blonde heads._

_His only two friends are ripped to shreds, right in front of the person who felt his sole mission in life was to protect them._

Levi lets out an uncharacteristic sob as his eyes snap open in panic. He puts a hand up to his cheek, wipes away a few tears, and quickly realizes that he's covered in sweat as he shifts his legs around beneath the blanket. 

He's grateful for an excuse to shower again, as there's no way he'll be falling back asleep tonight. He tiptoes to open the door, slinks across the hallway, and into the bathroom, where he turns on the faucet as hot as it'll get before climbing into the tub. 

The water does a god job at easing the shock of the dream, and the man wonders if he should make his morning tea after he gets out. He doesn't even know what time it is, but he'll be content with whatever the clock has to say when he checks it. Even if it's one a.m., that'll give him plenty of time to work on client requests before him and Mikasa set up the shop. Artistry is quite a popular hobby among the Ackerman line (second to fighting of course), and Mikasa's parents decided to start up a tattoo studio when they got to Portland. Though they only started the shop, _Dragon's Ink_ , to launder their dirty money brought from Japan, it was a fitting business for them. Both Mikasa and her father were very inclined to art, so if the family was ever investigated by the IRS, they had a solid story behind their choice in business venture. 

After rinsing off all the sweat and washing his face for the second time tonight, Levi turns off the faucet and steps out of the tub. He brushes his teeth for the _third_ time tonight before putting on fresh night clothes and stepping out into the hallway. Instead of going back to his room, he opts for the kitchen, as he realizes he really didn't eat much over the last day. 

The clock on the stove reads 3:56 a.m., which isn't too bad for a person with Levi's sleep schedule. He's never had a problem with functioning on little rest, which Isabel used to blame on him "being a December Capricorn", whatever that means. He never really bought the fuss on star signs, but Isabel sure got into them the second she got her own phone. 

The December Capricorn opens the fridge and grabs out a cup of rice pudding, a protein shake, and some takeout fajitas from yesterday's lunch. While microwaving the fajitas, he sets his computer and art tablet up on the living room table before grabbing his food, turning on the TV and taking a seat on the leather couch. After aimlessly scrolling on Netflix for a while, he finally decides to settle on _Breaking Bad,_ as it's the only American show he's watched so far that he genuinely likes. 

Now that he's all settled, Levi turns on his computer and looks at his to-do list for work: he has three tattoo designs that need to be done by the end of the week. Though he know's he'll get them done sooner than that, he's glad there's enough work to distract him at least for the night. 

He starts his tablet and opens up the latest file he's been working on. The design is that of a hummingbird feeding off of a bell-shaped flower in a traditional Japanese style. The lines are thin and wispy, with intricate detail in the bird's feathers. Behind it sits an underdeveloped red sun that Levi plans to tackle next. He begins to add in faint clouds, more petals flowing through the breeze, and more expression to the bird before jumping to the sound of his alarm clock. 

It's six a.m., which means it's time to go meet with Erwin. 


	4. The Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter delves a little more into Levi's life, and is gonna be pretty much the last of the exposition to the story. The next chap will be longer than the previous ones, so hang tight if it takes a second for me to update! It'll be worth it, though. There's gonna be a lot more Levi/reader interaction from here.

The coffee shop is quiet this morning, just as Levi likes it. It's a small business, ran by a family born and raised in Portland. It's always the niche coffee roasters that do it the best (in Erwin's humble opinion), which is why the bushy browed man decides to meet here every Saturday. The two of them sit towards the back of the shop, making sure to be out of earshot to the other customers.

"So, Levi. Anything new with you?" Erwin asks, eyes up as he sips his coffee. 

"Well, I held up a knife to a bartender's throat last night", he starts, looking over to his counterpart as he picks up his tea. Erwin snorts in surprise and raises his eyebrows, causing him to spit out some of his coffee.

"You do mean to follow that with context, yes?" 

Levi rolls his eyes.

"Yeah. I left my wallet at the bar, so she was tracking me down to give it back. I'm guessing Hange told her I take the Light Rail, which would explain how she knew the route I was taking, but all I knew at the time was that someone was following me. So when I heard her footsteps getting closer, I acted on instinct", he explains, slightly amused at Erwin's initial reaction- it's rare to catch that man off guard. 

"And? How did the poor girl react to it?"

"She was pretty shocked at first, but she could read pretty easily that it was an accident- In fact, when I asked what I could do for her not to go to the cops, she only asked for me to smoke a joint with her", he adds. The blonde raises his eyebrows, not expecting the story to play out like that. 

"Well, I will admit, I wouldn't have expected that outcome. However, it's not uncommon for you to end up in weird situations like that-", he says with a chuckle, " -I think it may just be in your blood". 

The comment draws a scoff from Levi.

"Blood my ass. I made a stupid mistake, that's all. Anyways, is there anything you really want from me, or can I get back to my morning?" he asks with a bitter tone. Though he agrees to show up, it's not like these weekly meetings are something the man looks forward to. 

"Is it a crime if I just want to know how your week has been?" Erwin quips back, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Isn't keeping me in line the only reason you continue to meet with me, Detective Smith?", the shorter man retorts. 

"Not when you put it that way, no. You know how much of a loose cannon you've been in the past, and I put my ass on the line to get you here, Levi. In fact, I'm living an entire ocean away from my family right now just to ensure your safety", Erwin replies with an even tone; "You know, I'm not the prison warden you try so desperately to make me out to be". 

Levi's eyes flare in irritation. His anger towards the other man runs deep, but Erwin understands that the emotion is only there to mask the fact that Levi knows he's right- at least on a subconscious level. 

"You still haven't answered my question. Is there anything you need from me this week?" 

Erwin sighs.

"No, not necessarily. However, Benjamin was asking how Hange's doing, if you have any updates", he replies.

"They're doing fine. Watched them break up a bar fight last night, which was pretty entertaining. They also seem to be getting closer to y/n, the newer bartender who hunted me down last night", Levi states, drawing a nod from Erwin.

"Good. Benjamin will be happy to hear that. He's been wondering how Hange's doing without their parents", he adds. Though both Mikasa and Hange were able to live normal lives, the Sukautos made sure to send over their best hitman, Kenny, to make their parents pay for their 'treason' against the gang with their lives. While Mikasa's parents were killed right in front of her, Hange was already living out of the house when the horror occurred.

"Anything else? I'd like to get to work", Levi replies. 

"That's all for today, then. You know, Levi, I am always here to talk if you need it. I know you're still mad at me, but you know as well as I do how much I'm willing to help", Erwin says sternly. 

"Thanks. See you next week", the shorter man says, grabbing his computer bag as he gets up from the table.

"See you next week".

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Levi is able to get to Dragon's Ink about an hour before opening, as he's scheduled to set up shop today. He's met by Mikasa and Sasha, though Sasha isn't scheduled for another hour; he figures she's here to practice on designs. She's still an apprentice, and apprenticing requires a lot of off the clock practice work.

"Morning, Levi!", Sasha greets from the reception desk. Apprentices also serve as shop receptionists, as they can't be full blown artists just yet.

"Morning", Levi replies cooly, waltzing across the checkered floor and over to his station. The shop was built with an open setup, with the reception counter at the front and three artist stations lined up behind it. Like The Library, the place is themed with a red-and-black aesthetic. The tile is colored between the two, and large frames with design displays line the walls on the left side, while the right is covered in mirrors.

The man sets his bag at the station in the very back of the shop, with Mikasa already set up at the one in front of him.

"Do you guys mind if I play the Metalcore station?" Sasha asks, knowing the other two would say yes. Their mornings typically go like this: the three set up their areas and focus on work in silence for most of the morning with Sasha's music blaring on the speakers. It gets a lot chattier when Connie or Jean are clocked in, though. 

"I'm fine with it", Mikasa replies, looking over to Levi for confirmation.

"Go ahead", he states. 

She presses play and the music begins to blast, allowing the three of them to work in peace until the first appointments flood in. Levi sets up his area, lays out all of his tools, cleans his needles, and works a bit more on the hummingbird design until his first client walks in. He's a tall man with a thick build and short blonde hair, ready for a follow up appointment on his sleeve tattoo. After checking in with Sasha, he heads behind the counter and over to his artist, sitting on the bench beside him.

"You ready for some color, Reiner?" Levi asks, getting out the ink he knows he'll need before grabbing an alcohol pad to prep the man's bicep. 

"Ready as I'll ever be. I'll have to say, the base you did last month healed nicely, and it looks fantastic", Reiner replies, taking off his jacket and offering his arm to Levi. The sleeve is of a lion staring straight out to the observer, with its mane disappearing into black strands that swirl around the rest of his arm. 

"Thanks".

With that, the man goes into focus mode, beginning the coloring process of the lion's face. He's grateful that he gets to start his day with a sleeve tat, as it'll take an hour or two to fill in, which means time gets to go by faster. Bigger pieces also tend to be more gratifying compared to the minimalist Pinterest designs that seem to be all the rage these days.

By two o'clock, Levi finally finishes up Reiner's lion, much to the large man's enthusiasm.

"Yo man, this is sick! Thank you again for designing this", Reiner exclaims, following Levi to the register.

"I'm glad you like it. It was no problem", the artist replies after ringing everything up, "and just like last time, it's cash only- the ATM's still here if you need it". Reiner nods and slides over the cash, making sure to include a $50 tip.

"Thanks again, Levi! You're a real one!", he says before walking out the glass door. Levi looks over to Sasha.

"A real one?", he questions, still not used to the slang of the states. Thankfully, Sasha's been happy to function as a bridge between him and the American youth since he started working at the shop.

Sasha holds up a finger for him to await her reply, as she's in the middle of hurriedly shoving Ramen in her mouth.

"You know, like... a real one, I guess? It's pretty self explanatory. It's like, telling someone that they're genuine and cool, ", she replies, still chewing in between sentences, "I haven't thought about it too hard, but I'm pretty sure that's what you can sum it up to". Levi nods and heads back to his station to sanitize his needles, and by the time he gets to his seat, the door chimes again to reveal Jean and Connie. 

"Good afternoon, ladies", Jean greets loudly, "... and Levi", he adds after locking eyes with the intimidating man in the back. Mikasa doesn't look up from her current activity, as she's focused on a leg tattoo, and Levi goes back to his needles without returning their greeting. 

"Hey Jean, hey Connie!", Sasha says, replying for herself and the two stoics behind her. The men let themselves behind the counter; Jean heads over to the third tattoo station, while Connie sets up the piercing chair located on the side of the room across from the artists. They typically don't have everyone clocked in at once like this, but it's almost three p.m. on a Saturday, which means the shop is about to enter its busiest hours of the week. 

"Have you guys been busy today?", Connie asks as he begins to prep his area. 

"We had our two morning appointments, but not too crazy aside from that. Now that you guys are here, it should be filling up a bit more", the brunette replies, grabbing the community iPad to check on the upcoming customers.

"Jean, your next appointment should be coming in anytime now", she says, and Jean nods. Connie doesn't take bookings, as he only does piercings, which are reserved strictly for walk-in customers. Right after she puts the device back down, two women enter the shop: one tall brunette, and one short blondie.

"Speak of the devil! Is one of you here to see Jean?" Sasha asks the couple. The tall one nods.

"Yep, should be under the name Ymir. My partner here also wanted to get something, right Historia?" Ymir replies, nudging the girl next to her. 

"Y-yeah. I was wondering if I could do your double piercing discount? I wanted a cartilage and nose stud", the girl adds. Sasha smiles and nods.

"Sounds great! I'll just need both of your IDs, and for you both to sign these guys here", she says, grabbing two non-disclosure contracts from under the desk and placing them on the countertop. The women each hand sasha their identification and grab a pen before signing their contracts. Once done, Sasha lets them behind the counter, and the two head to their respective stations. Right after they get settled, Levi's next customer comes in, followed by a group of college girls waiting to get their own walk-in piercings. Business will only continue to pickup until close, but none of the employees mind it too much. Each of them finds subtle enjoyment in the bustle of evenings like this, though Levi is probably the only one who would have a hard time admitting it. 

The five of them continued to work well until the night, and by the time all of the customers are out of the shop, it's already 10:45- fifteen minutes until the final close. Mikasa, Jean and Levi stand up in sync and stretch their backs, having being hunched down all day. Connie and Sasha are chatting at the reception desk when Connie whips his head towards the rest of the group.

"Do you guys wanna go out after we close up? Sasha and I were talking about going to get some drinks if y'all are up for it", he says, wording the outing as an option despite the full intent of getting Levi and Mikasa to hang out with the rest of them. He knows Mikasa probably wouldn't resist, but Levi's gonna be a little harder to crack. 

"Sure, Connie, just don't come to me complaining when I steal all of your chicks", Jean replies, shooting his friend one of his signature cocky smiles. Mikasa shrugs, signaling her agreement, while Levi shakes his head.

"I'm just gonna head out. I'll see you later, Mikasa", he says, but is abruptly cut off by Connie. 

"Come on, Levi, we all know you're going to a bar anyways. Why not take us with you?"

"Not a chance", the short man deadpans.

"Well, I don't think you really have a choice here, shorty", Sasha chimes in with a dubious smile, "because we know exactly what bar you go to- I bet you didn't know that Connie lives across the street from it. We see you coming in and out all the time". 

Levi glares over to her, causing her to shrink in her seat a bit. If any of them knew how feared he was back home, they'd probably piss their pants before ever forcing him into plans like this. But alas, now is the time for Levi to start a 'normal life'- and a normal life requires for him specifically not to pummel or threaten anyone who inconveniences him. He's not a top dog anymore. Plus, it wouldn't be like him to harm anyone like Sasha- his fury has always been directed towards the people who deserve it the most.

"Tch. Whatever. Just know I'm not here to babysit any of you", he replies, putting on his long black coat. Connie and Sasha's eyes widen in surprise as they realize their plan worked- they've been scheming on how to get Levi to socialize all night. He wonders for a second if it would be dangerous to put Mikasa and Hange in the same area due to their shared history, but figures it won't be a problem considering how secretive their parents had been about the other. 

"Hell yeah, man! You've been working here a month already, it's about time we get to know you", Jean exclaims, holding a hand up to give him a high five. Levi glares at him with an unreadable look in his eyes, and leaves him hanging as he waltzes over to the exit.

"I'm ready to go when you all are. While you three were fucking around, I already packed up my station", he says, watching in private amusement as his coworkers scramble to wrap up their own areas. Mikasa joins him, as she already took care of her closing duties as well. 

After ten or so minutes go by, everyone is ready to head out, and the five of them exit before Mikasa makes sure to lock up. The Library is about a ten minute walk from Dragon's Ink, and Levi tails the back of the group as they pave the way to what is sure to be an eventful night.


	5. Lime Chasers

  
  
  
_Reader's POV_  
  


"Afternoon, Hange! How's it hangin?" You ask as you head to clock in for tonight's shift. The brunette looks up from their inventory list and smiles over to you.

"Hey y/n! It's hangin pretty alright tonight- Ooh! I love your outfit by the way", they reply, setting the clipboard down to follow you to the break room.

"Thank you so much! I was pretty proud of the fit when I put it together, so I appreciate it".

Today you're wearing a graphic tank featuring featuring black and white skeletons wrapped in an embrace (modeled after "The Lovers" tarot card) with a red flannel over it, a pair of baggy drawstring pants, and traditional nonslip shoes. To accessorize, you adorn a matching pair of hanging skeleton earrings, an amethyst necklace, and black pencil eyeliner.

"It's very _Portland Grunge,_ if you know what I mean. You fit right in here", they add, shooting you a smile as you punch your numbers in.

"I've been told that. A lot of people used to tell me they could see me in the North West, and I've always felt compelled to come here, so here I am!", you reply before the two of you head back to the bar.

"Do you ever wonder if that means something, y/n? Like that you're meant for something here?"

You shrug and look at the ceiling in thought, contemplating your answer.

"Yeah, I think I am. I dunno. My life has been weird like that for as long as I can remember- I always seem to end up in the right place at the right time, and everything around me tends works itself out in an almost mystical way", you say, pulling the plugs from the beer taps and rinsing them off in the sink, "My friends and family even notice it; they always make comments about wanting to steal my luck".

Hange smiles softly at your reply.

"I like the way you put that. I have a lot of similar experiences. Even when times get tough, there's always been a landing pad that reveals itself right before I touch the ground, if you know what I mean", they look up and gesture towards the whole of the room, "Like this bar! It fell right into my lap at quite the critical time in my life". You nod in agreement, curious to know more about the 'critical time' they're referring to, but too hesitant to pry into it.

"Yeah, no, I completely get it! I have so many stories about weird opportunities like that falling right in front of me. In fact, that's what happened with the RV. I was so stressed about all the mechanics and cost of it, then _bam,_ I hear about this guy selling his old truck and mobile home for the _exact cost_ of what I had in my savings at the time. It was fucking insane- I can still barely believe it", you add, voice trailing off as you think about the whole thing. It's like the RV was just _meant_ for you.

"That's crazy as hell, dude! I love that. And I'm glad the universe decided to lead you to Portland- a great addition to our crew".

Before you can give Hange a proper 'thank you', your conversation is interrupted by the chime of the door, and your first customers of the night walk in. Your bar manager bids you adieu as you greet the bar guests and heads back to their office, leaving you to your job for the night.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Omniscient Pov_

The bar is pretty full tonight, which is to be expected for the weekend. It's only eleven o'clock and you've already had to cut off members of three different parties- one girl even puked on her way to the bathroom, which is less common for this bar as opposed to other ones you've worked at. Despite this, however, you've still grown insensitive to cleaning up vomit- all it needs is some rags, a mop and a bucket. As long as you're not hands-on cleaning the toilets, you're fine with everything else.

Amid the ruckus of your current customers, your ears perk up to the familiar sound of the door, and you whip your head towards the entrance to see the face of the man who could've killed you last night with four other people in tow. Your eyes flicker with surprise at the sight of Levi bringing company, but the unenthused look on his face tells you all you need to know about his feelings towards it.

"Hey guys, welcome in!" you greet as they walk over to the bar. Levi and what looks to be his female counterpart (in both looks and demeanor) grab a seat at the opposite ends of the group, while the tall one sits next to Levi, the bald one goes to the middle, and the brunette lands herself next to the girl you now assume to be Levi's sister or cousin.

"Surprised to see you bring in friends, Levi-", you say with a well meaning chuckle, "-can I get you guys started on anything?"

"Absolutely you can. A round of tequila shots for me and all of my friends here. The best kind you got", the tall blonde starts, sliding his card over to you with a cocky smile, "And put em all on the same tab. Drinks are on me tonight, you guys", he adds. The brunette reaches over and punches him on the arm playfully.

"You soiled my plans, Jean! I was gonna be the sugar mommy tonight", she exclaims with a huff. The baldie next to her scoffs as he looks from Jean over to you.

"I'm sure he wasn't planning to until he saw the bartender", he says before leaning towards you with a hand to his mouth; "Our friend Jean over here likes to impress, and you're just his type", he whispers, wiggling his eyebrows as he attempts to embarrass his companion. You laugh at the comment and grab five shot glasses from behind you.

"Well, I guess you can call me impressed", you reply, shooting the blonde- Jean- a wink as you start to pour the tequila. His face immediately goes red, and a feeling of satisfaction moves through you as you wonder if you'll be getting the bashful man's number tonight. It's been a while since you've been on a date. You're quickly pulled out of the thought, though, when Levi butts in before you pour the last shot.

"I don't need tequila, thanks. I'll take a Jack and Coke on my own tab, please", he says, passing his own card to you.

"Want me to ring you up for two again?" You ask as you head towards the register. He quickly looks at his friends and back to you with an uneasy look in his eyes you've never seen on him before.

"No. Just keep the tab open", he replies. Connie rolls his eyes at the request.

"Come on, Levi, you don't wanna take shots with us? I promise ya, we aren't gonna poison you".

"Only idiots mix dark and clear liquor, and I want whiskey", he replies, nodding to you as you set the glass in front of him.

"Well you could've at least let me pay for it", Jean says as he puts a hand up to his hair. Levi gives him a glare that shoots daggers, causing the taller man to look away in discomfort. It's bad enough that his coworkers are meeting you, but idea of you and Jean already flirting makes the man's mood infinitely worse. He enjoys having this small space outside of work- between the staff at Dragon's Ink and at The Library, there's really no one else for Levi to socialize with besides Erwin. And even then, calling his meetings with Erwin a 'social' event would be downright pitiful.

Despite his harsh aura, Levi will admit to himself that he enjoys having the little company he can get in Portland. If he had to be alone here (or, god forbid, _just_ stranded with Erwin), he may have gone out of his mind much more than he already has.

However, what Levi _won't_ admit to himself is how much he _really_ didn't want his only two social circles to mix like this.

"Whatever, Jean, just let Levi be Levi", Sasha says after a brief second of silence, "You guys are talking so much we haven't even taken our shots yet!", she exclaims, downing her tequila and slamming the glass back on the counter before anyone has time to reply. The rest of the group follows suit and gulps down their shots, too- the blonde and baldie's faces go sour at the taste, but the dark haired girl at the end may as well have had a shot of water with the way her face maintains its neutrality.

"That's the spirit! Your name is Sasha, right?" you ask, watching the scene from behind the counter in amusement. Thankfully, all of your other customers are occupied, giving you the chance to chat with the group for a bit. _This_ isn't something you'd want to miss out on, especially with how different Levi seems to be acting around them.

"Yes ma'am! I'm Sasha, this lovely lady next to me is Mikasa, to my right is Connie, and next to that is Jean. We haven't gotten yours yet, though", she replies with a smile, and the three others nod or wave to you in acknowledgement.

"My name is y/n! It's nice to meet you all- are you friends with Levi? Or coworkers?", you ask, curious to know his relation with this bunch. Connie waves his hand around, gesturing to the two black haired individuals at each end.

"We're coworkers, but him and Mikasa are cousins. Mikasa owns the tattoo shop we work at", he answers.

"Ah, that makes sense- I thought the two of them looked alike. Oh, also, I completely forgot to ask, did you guys want another round?" All of them nod, and Mikasa perks up at the conversation topic.

"You really think we look alike? I never see it", she says, glancing at Levi and back to you as you pour four more shots, and one more Jack and Coke. You shrug.

"You both have that intense look in your eyes, yknow? It looks like you two know something everyone else doesn't- like you're off in your own world. They're the same color, too", you reply. She touches the red scarf on her neck and nods, and out of the corner of your eye, you can see Levi listening despite his seeming disinterest.

"Yeah. People tell us that a lot", she says in a solemnly sweet tone. You smile back, empathizing with the girl in front of you. People have always said that your eyes hold a similar demeanor, too- just a little less brooding, and a bit more bright than the two cousins in front of you. The conversation seems to dwindle for a second until Jean speaks back up.

"So, y/n, tell us about you. You from here?", he asks, leaning closer to you on the counter. You're a little caught off guard by the sincere interest in his voice, but are happy to answer, as the man is _quite_ attractive. His face holds an honesty to it that you don't tend to see in most people. It's endearing.

"Actually, I just moved here from Houston, Texas! I'm only staying a little less than a year, though- I live in an RV with my dog", you reply. The groups eyes go wide in interest, while Levi looks down, swirling his drink. You assume he might know this about you already, as he's been listening to you chat about the RV with other customers for almost a month now. It's not definite, but you can always feel his ears on you whenever he's at the bar- you're not sure how you can feel his attention, but you always do.

"That's sick as fuck, dude!", Sasha chimes, clearly now invested, "How did you do it? Decide to live in an RV, I mean". You shrug and whip out your phone to show them a picture of it.

"I don't want to be tied down somewhere during my twenties, yknow? Half of my friends are digging their own graves just to pay rent right now that we're out of college, and the ones who aren't are still living with their parents", you say, pulling up an image of your living space and showing it to the group. Jean, Connie and Sasha 'oo' and 'aa' in intrigue, while Mikasa and Levi give it a side glance. Even their brooding selves seem a tiny bit interested, which gives you a weird sense of pride as you ask if they want another round.

"Could you also grab the four of us a margarita? They're our tradition", Sasha adds, gesturing to everyone but the raven haired man at the end.

"Of course! Did you want a re-up on your drink as well, Levi?", you ask as you grab margarita mix from under the counter. He nods.

The door lets out its familiar chime as you mix the cocktails, forcing you to regretfully leave the conversation and greet your new customers once you finish topping Levi's third Jack and Coke.

_Is it weird that I'm counting his drinks? I can't help but note it. Hange hasn't even seen him keep his tab open before- are his friends putting him on edge that bad?_

You quickly jump from your train of thought as you take the new people's order, but go quickly back to it once you grab their cards, ring them up, and head over to pour their beer.

_It could be because of last night, maybe._

_I kinda hope he keeps drinking. Just to see._

A shiver of guilt runs through you at the thought, but you know you can't help your curiosity. It's not like you're gonna shove the whiskey down his throat, though you _have_ ran into bartenders who truly do enjoy coaxing their customers to a blackout. You never liked working with people like that.

"Alrighty y'all, here are those Pacificos!" You say, setting the beers on the counter. The couple who ordered them gives you a small 'thank you' before going back to their conversation, allowing you to head over to your previous one.

"You guys still doing alright over here?", you ask as you once again park yourself in front of the group.

"Could we get one more round of tequila? I think we'll be good with our margaritas for a while after that", Connie replies. You nod and grab the bottle from its well when Levi slides his now empty glass back to you.

"Make it a double. Thanks".

You wonder for a second if you should ask him if he's sure he wants it, but decide against the question. You don't want to overstep any boundaries with him, especially considering everything that happened last night. Neither of you have mentioned the incident upon seeing each other again, and you're positive there's good reason to it- it's doubtful that any of his companions know about the situation, and he probably wants to keep it that way.

"I gotcha, my dude!", you reply as you grab him another glass. He gives you a weird look, and Sasha a lets out a good chuckle when she catches it.

"Still not used to that U.S. slang, huh shorty?", she jabs, her tone and movements now clearly a little intoxicated. Levi shoots her a glare.

"Doesn't anyone teach you Americans to respect your elders?", he claps back, clearly irritated by her disturbance of his peace, "None of you have a clue how to read a room. It's annoying as all hell".

You set the fourth glass down in front of him, and before you can ask any questions about the whole exchange, Sasha leans over to you.

"You're probably the first person to ever call him 'my dude', y/n. Apparently, they don't do that in Japan", she says. You raise your eyebrows in surprise.

"I'm sure they do, Sasha. Levi's just weird", Jean butts in, wrapping his arm around the shorter man's shoulders. You can see him tense up before reaching to take a deep sip of his alcohol, but he seems to be too focused on maintaining his composure to remove the appendage now resting across his back. It wouldn't take a genius to tell that Levi doesn't want to be fucked with right now, but Jean just had three shots of tequila, as well as a very boozy margarita. His flushed cheeks are all you need to know his social cues are out the window at this point.

"Wow, I didn't even know he's from Japan! That's so cool", you say, looking Levi in the eyes as you utter the sentence. He puts his drink back down without breaking your stare, and you feel a few hairs stand up from the back of your neck. You can't tell what message he's trying to give you, but the look he's giving you is sure trying to communicate one. It feels like the two of you are having a private conversation through mere eye contact, and the intimacy of it makes your skin crawl.

"So, y/n, whatsit like living in an RV?", Jean asks, his tipsy attention span already wanting to change the topic. He rests his hand on his chin and smiles sloppily as he leans towards you.

"It's amazing! It can get a little cramped sometimes, and I definitely had to downsize, but it's one hundred percent worth it", you reply with a smile.

The blonde nods and continues to ask shallow questions about van life for a while, and you reply with routine answers. You tell him about the hidden waterfall you and Quinn hike to, your home decor, your trip to Newport this week. He tells you about Dragon's Ink, his American-traditional tattoo style, his condo that apparently has a great view of Mount Hood. Connie and Sasha are now in their own conversation, Mikasa is on her phone, and the grey-eyed man besides Jean continues to brood over his drink. Though your conversation is with supposed to be with the guy who's actually talking to you, you feel like the only person _really_ hearing your replies is Levi, which is a little disheartening. Though Jean is insanely attractive, you can tell already that the two of you won't click further than this.

There's nothing wrong with Jean himself- you've already concluded that he's a pretty good guy- but that's just it to you. He's easy to read, easy to predict, and, quite frankly, he's... boring.

You'd never dare to say that out loud, though, and you're still enjoying the conversation to some extent. You know that he's into you, so at least you have the upper hand in the dynamic, which is what you're used to. 

"You know, if you're open to it, I'd love to check out your van sometime- would it be possible for me to get your number? I really feel like I could take some art inspiration from the scenery", Jean asks in you earnest. It's a question you knew was coming since you winked at him almost half an hour ago, and you silently curse yourself for being so forward with him. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Levi waiting for your response just as eagerly as Jean is- the tight grip he now has on the rim of his glass completely gives him away. If it weren't for the extra whiskey in his system, you might never have caught it.

"I'd love to, but I'm not really dating anyone right now-", you say evenly, "- I'm leaving Portland in eight months, and honestly, it's hard for me to get involved with people, yknow?"

You bite your lip at the last bit. You could've just left it at the 'leaving in eight months' spiel, but something in you wanted the ghostly presence next to Jean hear it. Levi looks at you briefly, and the two of you share another small moment of eye contact before his coworker replies to you. 

"Don't worry, y/n, I get it", he says, flashing you a smile, "but if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me". 

He winks and takes another sip of his margarita, and you breathe a sigh of guilt mixed with relief. If you're being honest with yourself, you probably would've given him a chance if Levi wasn't next to him, despite knowing that the two of you wouldn't really get any further than a few dates. There was just something in the shorter man's eyes that told you how much he didn't want things between you and Jean to go anywhere, and your respect for his feelings outweighed the promise of a casual fling.

_I could've at least gotten laid. The damn cockblocker._

"Do you think we could get another round of tequila? And Margaritas, too", Sasha says, butting into the conversation before it gets too awkward. You have a feeling that she and Connie heard the whole exchange, but wouldn't be the kind of friends to make fun of Jean for getting rejected on the spot. You nod and routinely pour up their drinks, as well as another double whiskey at Levi's unspoken request. Instead of asking aloud, he simply slides his empty drink over to you, holds up two fingers and nods.

The group chugs their shots and you head to deal with the other customers, giving some space between you and the tension of the previous conversation. You can tell from afar that all five of them are pretty intoxicated by now, and it's fun to watch Sasha and Connie's exaggerated movements as they goof around with the rest of the group. After another hour or so, you pour them one more round before Jean asks for the check.

"You got it, dude- did you wanna cash out as well, Levi?" you ask, and the man shakes his head no. 

"We're gonna head out soon, Levi, are you sure?", Connie asks, "We're all gonna be staying at my place. I don't think anyone here is sober enough to do more than walk across the street, and you've been drinking doubles all night", he adds, leaning back in his chair.

"I'll get home fine by myself, thanks", he cuts back. Mikasa sighs and reaches in her purse to grab out a piece of paper.

"Here's the alarm code in case you don't remember it. Make sure to set it again before you go to bed", she says, sliding the paper over to him and looking back to you, "Will you make sure he at least gets a cab?", she asks, her eyes flaring with a hint of worry mixed with the drunkenness of her flushed cheeks. You nod and give her a thumbs up.

"Sounds good to me!", you exclaim as you gather up the check from Jean, looking at the tip line to see that he left you a generous twenty five percent. What a gentleman. 

After they finish up the last of their margaritas, the four of them gather all of their things to head out. Mikasa helps Jean and Connie stumble to the door, while Sasha stays behind for a second to talk to you. She waves to you adamantly, as if she's about to tell you a secret. Thankfully, Levi seems to not be paying attention to the two of you, allowing you to have a real exchange with someone without feeling like his eyes are glued to the back of your head. 

"What's up, Sasha?", you ask, leaning over the counter towards her. She giggles and loosely holds up a hand to your ear, and you can smell the faint traces of tequila and lime on her breath. 

"I saw what happened with you and Jean tonight, and I'm not gonna lie, you dodged a bullet", she says with a laugh. You lean back and quirk up your eyebrow before she quickly motions for you to give her your ear again, "Ok, he's an amazing guy, but you're obviously _better_ than him, yknow what I mean?" 

You chuckle back and nod.

"I wouldn't say I'm too good for him, I could just tell we wouldn't click", you reply, giving Levi a side glance to make sure he's still distracted before leaning up to her ear, "Plus, I had a feeling that shorty over there really wouldn't have liked it", you add, wriggling your eyebrows as you pull back. Her eyes grow wide, and you can tell how hard it is for her to contain her laughter at the comment. 

"Seriously?! Ohmyfuckinggod. Thats fucking hilarious. Do you think he likes you?!", she asks back in a hushed tone. You shrug your shoulders.

"I have no clue. He's so hard to read-", you start, putting a hand to your head in thought, "-but I just have a feeling he doesn't really want his annoying bartender to start dating his annoying coworker. That would be, like, a double annoyance to him, yknow? He seems to come to the bar for peace and quiet, and I don't think he wants anything to interrupt that". Sasha nods, but still can't seem to wipe the knowing smile off of her face as she looks between you and Levi. 

"Come on, Sasha, what's taking you so long? We need to get Jean to a toilet before he makes a mess here. He bit off more than he can chew", Connie calls from across the floor. 

"Fuck you, man, I told you I'm fine!", Jean quips back, the slur in his speech betraying him. Sasha rolls her eyes and grabs a pen and a paper coaster from under her empty margarita, writes something down, and hands it quickly back to you once she's finished. 

"I wrote down my snapchat, you should add me! You're super dope", she says with a smile, "and make sure to text me once Levi gets home safe. I know Mikasa's gonna worry", she adds.

"Sure thing, Sasha!", you reply as she waves and heads out the door with stumbling friends in tow. Once everyone disappears, you look to Levi, who's already looking at you with the same unreadable look in his eyes that he's had since he set foot into the bar. 

"If you've got something to say, say it, because the stares you've been giving me all night sure as hell tell me theres something you wanna get out".

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. XL Sketchbook (1/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ok i know the ending is a little abrupt buut i really wanted to get this chapter out! i hate going more than 10-12 days without publishing. updates may be slow, though, bc im working a Lot lately.

  
  
  
_Omniscient/Reader's POV_

The man's eyes flicker in amusement at your remark, and you look down awkwardly as you await his reply. The sentence came out a bit intense, like you've been itching to spit it out for hours, and you mentally smack yourself as you realize there was a hint of desperation to it. You can't seem to help your tone alone around this guy- something about confronting him makes you feel like you're twelve again, talking to your first crush in gym class, palms shaking and mind going completely blank as you try to remember how to look him in the eyes without feeling your whole body shatter.

_Chill out, y/n. Just be yourself, and everything else will follow right? Stop being so flustered._

"Well, isn't someone antsy tonight?", he asks evenly, setting his glass up to his lips. You roll your eyes and fold your arms, making sure to bounce back from the moment of doubt quickly.

"You're one to talk here, man. You _totally_ cockblocked me tonight", you quip back. He sets the drink back on the counter, still not taking his fingers off the rim.

"I appreciated that, I'm not gonna lie-", he replies with a straight face, "- so thank you. If I had to start dealing with that horseface here at the bar, I think I'd go more insane than I already have".

You were expecting sass, annoyance, defensiveness- but he said _thank you_? You laugh and continue to look at him with perplexed eyes, arms still crossed.

"That wasn't the reply I thought I'd get-", you say, grabbing some counter cleaner and a rag to wipe up the area his coworkers previously occupied, "-But you're definitely a man full of surprises. And I figured that's how you felt when I noticed how tense you were earlier- when I was talking to Jean. It felt like getting his number was a boundary you didn't want me to cross, and you're lucky I hold you in high enough regard to respect that want-"

"-But you owe me double now, Mr. Ackerman", you add after a brief pause, spraying down the black marble below you.

You move your gaze from the counter back to his steely eyes once you finish wiping off the last of the margarita residue from the counter. He flares his nose in response, but he's not irritated- he's entertained.

"Whatever you say, bartender. Can you get me another drink?", he asks, eyes following as you walk over to the register to add a sixth jack and coke to his tab.

"Are you sure about that? I really don't want to be responsible for you getting hopelessly shitfaced at my bar", you ask back, finally comfortable enough to utter the question. You feel a lot better asking it now that his friends are gone- he seems to be a bit more at ease with a smaller audience.

"I can hold my liquor, don't worry. I've just had a long day".

You nod and measure out an once and a half of whiskey over the ice, listening to it crack at the touch of the liquid. He nods in appreciation when you set it down in front of him.

"Alright, I'll trust you on that. But if you keep drinking like this, I _will_ have to cut you off at some point", you say, folding your arms back up to your chest before the conversation continues. The two of you sit in another silent standstill, eyes locked as he continues to drink. A few moments go by before he speaks up.

"Fair enough", he replies. You sigh at his short response, biting your lip as you debate whether or not to keep the conversation going. All of your other customers seem occupied, so it's not like there's much else you can do besides stand there- you _could_ start up a new conversation with someone else, but you're stubborn, and you're not gonna continue to let this man slip out of talking with you for more than two seconds.

"Is there any specific reason you decided to drink more than your usual tonight? You don't have to answer if it's too personal- I'm just curious", you start, eyeing him cautiously in search of his response. You can't help but ask, and you won't blame him if he tells you to fuck off about it. Part of you really wants to know his answer, but another part of you is asking simply to test the waters of your connection at the moment- to see how much he trusts you (if he even does).

His neutral expression doesn't waver.

"If I tell you, will you tell me why you're so concerned about it?", he asks in return, and you nod pensively in response.

"Sure. Me first, or you?".

"You".

Your eyes roll for the millionth time tonight, but you know you should've expected that reply. Why even ask?

"I think it's kinda self explanatory, isn't it? Here you are, this strange brooding man I've been serving every week for almost a month, coming in with friends and ordering way more than I've ever seen you drink. You basically eyefucked me all night to get me to stop flirting with your coworker, you never seem to take your attention away from me when you're at the bar- oh, and I forgot to mention, you were _very_ prepared to hold a knife to my throat when I followed you last night".

You snap your eyes back to him after you finish your rant, and you can feel your body tighten in anticipation once you get the last sentence out. He takes another sip.

"Eyefuck?", he questions cooly. You narrow your eyes at him, still not breaking eye contact when he sets down the drink.

"Yeah. I know you know what I mean. You're doing it _right now_ , dude".

He lets out a quick breath through his nose.

"People tell me I come off intense sometimes. Sorry. But anyways- there isn't much to explain on my end; I'm drinking because I want to drink. That weird spot I mentioned last night? I'm still in it, I don't know how long I'll be in it, and the only way to escape it at the moment seems to be a cold glass of my favorite whiskey", he replies, eyes flickering down mid-explanation, as if he's... embarrassed? Ashamed? You don't want to pry any further.

"Everyone gets in those spots- I don't blame you for it, man. But I am sorry you're having to go through one. That shit sucks-", you say, attempting to soften the tone of the conversation, "-and threatening me with a knife aside, I'm always here if ya ever want to let out some steam. That's what a good bartender is here for".  
  
He looks back up at you, and this time you can see a hint of intrigue in his eyes as he curates a response.

"What did you mean when you said I never take away my attention from you at the bar?", he asks, completely sidestepping your invitation to let him vent. You quirk a brow up in surprise- you didn't think he would respond to that part.

"I dunno. I mean, I _do_ know, but it's kinda hard to word I guess? You never speak, but your presence is just so _loud_. I can always feel you listening to me talk to other customers- I don't know how to explain it. You never wear headphones, the music here isn't too loud, and whenever you're not staring at the bottom of your drink, you're staring at the wall ahead of you. If you're not distracted by your phone, a computer, or even a book- how could you _not_ be listening?", you ask in return. He sighs, as if giving up, and rests his chin on the back of folded hands.

"Alright, I"ll admit that I listen, but you're the one always talking to people so damn loud. I want to make it clear to you, though, that I'm not interested in connecting any further with you than paying you to make me a drink", he replies. His eyes dart to the corridor behind you- the one leading to Hange's office and the break room- before pointing them back to you.

"-I'm just observant, in case you got the wrong idea. That's all", he finishes, sitting back in his chair and imitating you by folding his own arms against his chest.

A faint smile creeps on your face as he says the last bit. He could just be giving you a lame excuse, but like Levi, you're quite the observer, too, and you know exactly where he's coming from- you can see it in his eyes.

"I get what you're saying, and I promise you, I don't have the wrong idea-", you reply, breaking his gaze to look at the tile beneath your feet, "-and I'm not creeped out by you, either. You just stand out to me, yknow?"

There's another blanket of silence covering over the two of you for a moment, and you look back up to the clock on the wall next to you. It's already 1:15- only two hours and forty five minutes until you finally get to go home at three. You can tell Levi wants to know more about your last sentence, but before that, it's time for a much needed break, and you'd much rather make him wait for an explanation on your part.

Without uttering another word to Levi, you head back to the hallway, planting your feet in front of Hange's office and knocking the door softly.

"Come in!", they holler, and you open the door to see them hunched over a mass of paper covering almost every inch of a large mahogany desk. Above them hangs a single yellow lightbulb, casting a hazy sepia glow over the rest of the room. It complements the wallpaper nicely- the light creates an ambient glaze over lines of forest green stretching up to the water stained popcorn ceiling. It may seem like a dumpster fire of an office upon first glance, but after working here for a while, you can see where some charm lies in it.

"Hey Hange! Do you think you could take over for me at the bar? I'm pooped", you say, leaning against your hand on the doorhandle.

"Of course! Honestly, y/n, go ahead and take a thirty. I haven't left this chair all night- I'm more than happy to give you an extended break, so take your time!", they reply, standing up from their maroon leather chair to give their back a good stretch.

"Thanks, dude, I really appreciate you", you add, stepping out of the door frame and following them back to the bar. Hange gets behind the counter, and you plop yourself in the seat right next to Levi. He looks at you quizzically before shrugging back into his drink.

"Hey, Hange, can you pour me a jack and coke?", you request, resting your chin on an elbow. 

"Coming right up!", they reply, grabbing out the whiskey from under the counter. It never really matters to Hange when you drink on the clock- you're more of a smoker, anyways, so you never really get carried away with your alcohol intake. The brunette carefully pours your drink, setting it down with a wink before they run off to tend to the other bar guests, and you take a deep swig before looking over to the man next to you. 

"So, Levi, what got you into doing tattoos?", you ask. He sighs and takes another deep breath, eyes lost in thought for a second as he ponders an answer to the question.

"I've always been a gifted fighter, but drawing has been at a close second for as long as I can remember. Growing up, everyone around me always had me working on my combat skills, but an old friend of mine convinced me to keep up with art", he replies, mirroring your position by resting his chin on his hand. You nod, playing mindlessly with the black straw in your cup.

"Is the combat training part of the reason you were so ready hold a knife up to my throat?", you pry cooly, side-eyeing him to gauge his reaction. It's obvious that he won't give you much of a good reply- not a good verbal one, anyways. However, the main thing you've noticed about Levi so far is that his body language will tell you everything you need to know about what doesn't come out of his mouth. 

His body tenses up and his eyes flicker to you, quickly, then to the wall straight ahead of him. He doesn't answer.

"Alright, alright, I figured you wouldn't wanna chat about it, but you can't blame me for trying-", you say, breaking the silence, "-so aside from that. Do you have any examples of your art? I'd love to see them". He continues to stay quiet. 

"... I'll show you mine if you show me yours?", you add. Before he can reply, you're up, quickly running behind the counter to grab a small XL sketchbook from your backpack and holding it out to him like a peace offering.

"What makes you think I want to see your artwork?", he jabs with a sassy look in his eyes. The comment stings a little, but you gulp it down, refusing to let it show on your face, and shove the sketchbook between your arm and your ribs.

"I don't care if you want to see my artwork or not. I just know I'm good at what I do, like you're good at what you do, so I want a chance to show off a bit from one artist to another-", you cut back, refusing to let your ground slip, "-but I guess you're just too good for that, Mister Tattoo-Master-Ackerman". You bite your lip and whip back down to your bag on the floor, kneeling down a bit so he can't see your face.

"Here", he says abruptly from above. You look up, taking a deep breath before you raise yourself from under the counter, and stand to see him digging through the black over-the-shoulder briefcase he always brings in. He grabs out a tablet, powers it on, and taps it with a stylus a few times before he sets it on the marble and swivels it over to you. On the screen sits a beautiful design of a hummingbird feeding on a bell shaped flower. The flower is a deep yellow, and is complemented well by the hazy red sun setting behind it. The hummingbird has warm maroon hues that fade nicely into an inky purple, and the line work is done in such a way that makes the whole drawing look as if it's flying in soft wind. 

The two of you look at it quietly for a while- though while your gaze is transfixed on his art, his eyes can't help but flicker up to scan the look on your face. Your mouth parts slightly as you study the lines with genuine concentration, and though Levi doesn't know what to make of it in his inebriated state, something in him softens when he sees the wonder in your eyes produced by his own creation. 

"Wow, dude, this is sick as _fuck._ I might have to have you tattoo me sometime! I love the way you use your lines- they're so delicate, but sharp and bold. They work with the colors well, too- it can be hard to mix black lines and bright colors without making the drawing look tacky, but the two of them bleed together in a way that creates a level of abstraction that helps add a little more *feeling* to it. I can tell that you really lose yourself in your work- and that's what makes or breaks a good artist", you say, abandoning all previous apprehension you had as you geek out over his work. 

Levi gulps a bit and looks away from you, unsure what to make of your comment.

"You really like to flatter, huh?", the man asks, still keeping you out of his sight. You blush and cast your gaze down as well.

"Yeah, actually, I do. I dunno. Your art's really good, what can I say? I love appreciating things people create", you reply with a shrug. You walk around the bar and plop back next to him, taking another deep sip of your drink. 

"Aren't you gonna show me yours now?", he starts, eyes finally landing back on you. 

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I left it behind the counter", you say, getting up and lightly jogging back to get it. His eyes follow you as you make the short trip.

You sit back down and crack open your sketchbook, carefully looking for the right page to show him. After finding it, you fold it over to the full page and set it down in front of him. The drawing is an inked watercolor- at the bottom sits a woman laying down in a nebula as if she's lying in a hammock, stretching her hand out to a group of stars that illuminate the rest of the page. Her form molds along with the shape of the dust clouds around her, and her face wishfully looks towards the sky above- the expression on it is very similar to the one you just had when admiring the other man’s art.

Levi studies the drawing intently, eyes transfixed on the paper. His eyes trace the curves of the watercolor, the ways the colors layer over one another to create different gradients across the image. The ink is used in a similar way Levi does his own line work with the way it seamlessly fades into the watercolor, which is something he can appreciate.

"This is nice work, bartender. You never thought about tattooing?", he asks, finally taking his attention away from your work. 

"Yeah, I have, but it's not for me. I feel like tattooing is a profession you _really_ have to commit to in order to succeed in the field, and my heart wouldn't be in it enough for it to be worth it-", you reply, "-but I love tattoos themselves, and I have a lot of respect for the artists, don't get me wrong. You guys are so fucking cool". 

He nods and grabs the sketchbook to get a closer view, causing you to tense ever-so-slightly.

"May I look at the rest of it?", he asks, facing you directly to get permission first. Your breath hitches, and you quickly-but gently- grab it out of his hands.

"Not until you get to know me a little better", you reply with a wink, setting your empty glass down before waving to Hange for one more.

**Author's Note:**

> ok soo some plot notes:  
> -I have Levi's backstory all mapped out and I'm so excited to reveal it little by little  
> -The reader is 23, and Levi/Hange are 29 (I kept changing it for a while but I finally got it figured out)! So this is a bit early on in his development. However, Eren and the gang are 21, so there's a little change to their canon age difference


End file.
